San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-20


TO the greatest beauty under heaven,
whose Immature and bitter temper
would make her constant thorn in
his side.
On the first occasion, Rose felt simply
furious, for though she had not recOg-
nized the name of Ralph Pasten among
the number of those invited, she did
not doubt that she could have procured
him an invitation, and then, besides the
pleasure of having him to dance attend
ance upon her, she would have had the
additional qualification of letting him
see her eXquisitely dressed, and carry
ing off the palm of beauty from her less
favored female friends.
The most notifying part of this af-
fair was, that Mr.. Commission Danvers
seemed perfectly reconciled TO her alb
sence from his party. and that her aunt
and cousin were chatting with him and
showing as much interest in what he
was saying, as though he were the most
entertaining man of their acquaintance.
IL verify believe that Beatrice wants
to marry him." thought Rose, with an
indignant toss of the head; mo doubt
she would like to be Lady Danvers, and
she pretends to think him charming, as
though man with the legs of q groom,
and the bearing Of waiter could ever
be tolerable to any woman of taste; but,
then, Beatrice has no taste, and very
little good feeling"
There were many persons who would
have warmly disputed this last asser-
ton had it been made in her hearing,
for though Beatrice was by no means as
pretty as her cousin, her amiability and
her winning manners made her gen.
eral fayorite with old and young, and
though she certainly had not as many
profeSsed admirers as Rose, she had re-
ceived many more serious offers of mar
riage.
So though Rose very rarely missed an
opportunity of snubbing her cousin, or
of giving herself little airs of superiori-
ty, other people were apt to smile at the
vain girls conceit, while their aunt
frankly said, she would always for her
part prefer Beatrice's chances of happi-
ness to those of Rose.
Meanwhile the details of the proposed
party have been discussed, and Mr..
Danvers has gone away to give invita-
tons to other friends and acquaintance,
who will no doubt appreciate them.
What has come over Rose tO-day?"
asked Mrs. Blessington, with a glance
in the direction of the spoilt beauty;
"she gave Ralph fit of the blues before
she sent him away, and she has quite
offended Mr.. Danvers by something she
seems to have said to him."
"He was quick enough to take Of
fence" replied Beatrice; "she expected
to be pressed, and persuaded, and en-
treated to go to this ball, while he GER
tainly did seem to jump at the first ex-
preston of unwillingness to accept the
invitation, as though he did not want
her-it may have been that he was get
ting up the party specially on her ac-
count, and that he was mortified at her
indifference"
Clever young woman to make such a
guess!
This was just the true state of affairs,
the party was being got up principally
for Rose ThOrnbury's enjoyment, and
hence the impatient annoyance of the
man who was undertaking all the
trouble and expense of the affair.
When he reached home he was still
sufficiently mortified TO allow his sister
to make a shrewd guess at the state Of
his feelings, and that young lady deter
mined to punish Rose ThOrnbury still
more severely for her unpleasant be-
haviOr.
Rose was no favOrite with Miss Dan.
vers, while on the other hand, the latter
was very fond of Beatrice, and she had
heard this morning to her satisfaction,
that Rose was positively engaged to
Ralph Pasten.
That Ralph was handsome, good
natured, easy going, ne'erdo-well was
pretty well known among his friends
and acquaintance, and some surprise
was felt at Rose Thornbury having ac-
cepted him.
THE reason why he proposed to her,
ver's informant. Rose is an exceed
ingly pretty girl, and she has four hun
dred a-year of her own, and as Ralph
has little more than expectations, l sup
pose he thought he would like to have
something certain"
But four hundred a-year is nothing
for two people like them to marry up
on" objected Celia Danvers.
No, it is not; but he is sanguine and
thinks he shall do great things in the
world, not that he ever will; and Rose
is certainly not the woman to help him,
her bad temper and her overbearing
manners repel those whose friendship
would be worth cultivating."
These remarks required to the mind
of Celia Danvers when her brother came
home from calling upon Mrs. Blessing
ton and her nieces, and she felt she
would gladly do anything in her power
sooner than have Rose for a sister-in-
law.
The day of the party came, and the
guests mustered in full strength at The
Cottage, which was the name of the
somewhat extensive building in which
the brother and sister lived. Most of
them had come over early in the day,
for there was to be some skating before
dinner, and the river which was firmly
frozen ran by the end of the lawn.
Beatrice Thornbury and her aunt
were among some of the earliest arri-
walls, and their host and hostess from
the first paid them marked attention.
Just as the whole party seemed to
have mustered and most of them had
put on their skates. Beatrice was SIR